Blue Sky Network Introduces New SkyRouter Mobile Satellite Tracking and Fleet Management Application

Fleet managers can now stay constantly connected to assets via most iOS and Android and tablet devices

La Jolla, Calif. – September 20, 2012 – Blue Sky Network today announces the launch of its New SkyRouter mobile application, a fleet management portal for land mobile, aviation, and marine applications. New SkyRouter is a cloud-based solution designed to support connectivity with remotely dispersed mobile assets including Blue Sky Network’s advanced dual-mode GSM and Iridium tracking and communication services. With the New SkyRouter application, fleet managers are provided around-the-clock connectivity with assets via most Android or iOS mobile phones or tablets.

“The reliance that we have toward our mobile devices has opened up new fleet management opportunities for Blue Sky Network,” said Jon Gilbert, CEO and founder of Blue Sky Network. “The New SkyRouter App provides fleet managers the same constant connectivity in a user friendly mobile interface. Our easy-to-use mobile application provides fleet owners and managers who are on the go, real-time access to asset information.”

Features of the New SkyRouter mobile application include GPS location, fleet asset lists, breadcrumb mapping,  active asset indication, automated event reports, and drill-down on asset events. Leveraging the integration of Blue Sky Network’s industry-leading tracking hardware, the new application provides truly global coverage of assets located anywhere in the world. The New SkyRouter application works in combination with Blue Sky Network’s robust and Iridium certified hardware, which can be easily installed on land, aviation and marine assets.

The New SkyRouter Mobile application will be available for download at the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store in early October. The product is in beta release and slated for production in Q4 2012.

Blue Sky Network will also be showcasing the New SkyRouter mobile application at the MINExpo International 2012, taking place in Las Vegas during September 24-26, in booth number 21209.

For more information on Blue Sky Network and the new mobile SkyRouter application, please visit: http://www.blueskynetwork.com.

About Blue Sky Network

Blue Sky Network is a leading global provider of voice and data services via the Iridium satellite network. Our aviation, marine and vehicle products for GPS tracking, real time flight tracking and fleet management provide reliable fleet tracking and communication services.  Blue Sky Network’s solutions serve the Aviation, Oil and Gas, Government, Forestry, Mining, Supply Chain Management and Intermodal Transportation markets. Founded in 2001, Blue Sky Network is headquartered in La Jolla, California with customers and distributors worldwide. For more information about our company and solutions, visit the Blue Sky Network website at www.blueskynetwork.com.

About Iridium Communications Inc.

Iridium is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ever-expanding ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. The company has a major development program underway for its next-generation network — Iridium NEXT. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.

GE Capital Fleet Services Reaches $1 Billion Milestone for Identified Customer Cost Savings

Eden Prairie, Minn. – September 20, 2012 – GE Capital Fleet Services today announced it has identified $1 billion in customer cost savings over the past four years. Through its cost savings identification program, GE Capital Fleet Services analyzes customers’ fleets to help maximize efficiency and determine opportunities for cost savings.

“As fleet managers continue to evaluate ways in which they can control costs and increase productivity, our Strategic Consulting team helps them review how their fleets operate to identify ways they can maximize their fleet investments,” said Brad Hoffelt, senior vice president and general manager of products & services at GE Capital Fleet Services. “Identifying $1 billion in cost savings opportunities is just one of the ways we go beyond our core finance and service offerings to help customers build stronger businesses by meeting their fiscal and operational goals.”

In the first six months of 2012, GE Capital identified $262 million of cost savings opportunities for customers. In evaluating the top opportunities for fleets, GE Capital Fleet Services identified three major categories:

• Lease versus reimbursement: Identifying cost-cutting opportunities to convert companies’ driver reimbursement programs to vehicle leasing programs

• Accelerated replacement analyses: Determining opportunities to accelerate the service life cycle of vehicles in order to decrease overall fleet depreciation

• Optimal replacement analyses: Determining the optimal time to cycle vehicles in a fleet to drive reduced maintenance and fuel spend costs

“By evaluating in-depth data and benchmarking metrics from the fleet management services we provide, we are able to analyze all aspects of our customers’ fleets and identify opportunities to streamline operations,” said Steve Jastrow, strategic consulting services manager at GE Capital Fleet Services. “Helping our customers make informed decisions about how they can optimize fleet productivity ultimately leads to cost savings.”

About GE Capital Fleet Services

GE Capital Fleet Services, based in Eden Prairie, Minn., is a global fleet management company with operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Visit the website at gefleet.com or follow the company’s eco news and updates via Twitter (@GEFleetSvcs).

GE Capital offers consumers and businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services. For more information, visit www.gecapital.com or follow company news via Twitter (@GECapital). GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

TOTALCARSCORE.COM NAMES NISSAN LEAF THE BEST CAR FOR COMMUTING

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (Sept. 5, 2012) – Need to get from point A to point B in the most fuel-efficient and convenient way possible? TotalCarScore.com suggests hopping in a 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF, which it recently named the No. 1 car for commuting.

TotalCarScore.com is a website that scores vehicles based on evaluations from authoritative sources such as Consumer Guide, Edmunds.com, MSN Autos, US News/World Report, The Car Connection, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To determine the “10 Best Cars for Commuting,” a vehicle’s Total Car Score is combined with its fuel-efficiency rating in city-driving conditions.

“What we like about this list is that it truly measures the LEAF in the way it was intended—as a zero-emissions car with no-compromise performance,” said Brendan Jones, director, Electric Vehicle Marketing and Sales Strategy. “Our data shows that Nissan LEAF owners drive an average of 31 miles per day, which makes it a perfect choice to meet the daily driving needs of most Americans.”

The Nissan LEAF uses zero gas, offers a quiet and confident ride and boasts a slate of convenience features to make the driving experience easier and more comfortable. Standard features on the Nissan LEAF SV include heated front and rear seats, heated outside mirrors, heated steering wheel, Automatic on-off LED Headlights, Navigation system, CARWINGS telematics service, Bluetooth^® Hands-free Phone System and XM^® Satellite Radio (XM^® subscription required, sold separately).

Additional options included in the Nissan LEAF SL model include Level 3 480V quick charge port, fog lights, photovoltaic solar panel rear spoiler and RearView Camera Monitor, which is handy for street parking.

Available nationwide, the Nissan LEAF is the world’s first all-electric, zero-emission vehicle for the mass market, and it’s the first electric car for anyone to purchase, anywhere in the United States.

About Nissan North America

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, and 2012 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com.

About Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second largest automotive company by volume, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan and is an integral pillar of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 248,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4.6 million vehicles in 2011. With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of fuel-efficient and low-emissions vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year award.

ARI Announced As 2012 Bronze Stevie Award Winner

Mount Laurel, NJ (September 19, 2012) – ARI®, a leading global fleet services provider specializing in complex car and truck fleets, was presented with a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Tech Innovation of the Year category at the 10th Annual American Business Awards banquet Monday night.

More than 3,000 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. ARI was recognized for being one of only 100 companies in the world and the first in the fleet management industry to implement the innovative SAP HANATM platform, which leverages the power of in-memory technology to deliver real-time analytics on high volumes of data.

Traditionally, data is stored on a hard drive and then pulled into memory to be used in an application.  For fleet managers trying to reduce costs related to large car and truck fleets, analyzing the many sources of fleet data – fuel, telematics, maintenance and more – is complicated, requiring undue time and effort.  Now, ARI’s technology and the new ARI analyticsTM tool empowers fleet managers, even on a smartphone or tablet, to gather the information faster than ever, and allows them to change it, manipulate it and visualize it on the fly until they get exactly what they need.  Fleet managers can now make smarter, faster business decisions by performing analyses in seconds that previously required extended periods of time.

“I want to congratulate all of the ARI IT teams who contributed to the planning, development and execution of the SAP HANATM platform and the new ARI analyticsTM tool,” said ARI Senior Vice President and CIO, Steve Haindl, “This prestigious recognition of their innovativeness, teamwork and dedication to providing exceptional customer systems is well deserved as they further ARI’s position as a technology leader in the fleet management industry.

“We’re delighted to recognize so many innovative companies, new products, technical achievements, and technology executives in the ABA’s new product and tech awards categories,” said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards.  “It’s gratifying and inspiring to have received so many remarkable entries for this year’s competition.  We look forward to staging this event in San Francisco for years to come.”

Details about The American Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners who were announced on September 17 are available at www.stevieawards.com/aba. 

About ARI® (arifleet.com)

ARI, a part of the Holman Automotive Group, is a global vehicle fleet management leader that drives the best results for each of its clients’ unique and complex needs through industry-best fleet professionals, programs, technology and consultative services. With a workforce numbering more than 2,200 and offices throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Europe and the UK, ARI manages more than 915,000 cars, trucks and equipment in North America and the UK, and combined with its strategic partners, more than two million fleet vehicles globally. ARI is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

EPA presents the 12th annual Clean Air Excellence Awards

EPA Announces 12th Annual Clean Air Excellence Awards
Communities, public health and U.S. economy benefit from winners’ work on clean air initiatives


ATLANTA – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is presenting the 12th annual Clean Air Excellence Awards honoring 3 projects and companies from across the Southeast for their work on clean air initiatives. The awards recognize innovative programs that protect Americans' health and the environment, educate the public, serve their communities and stimulate the economy.

“The 42-year history of the Clean Air Act is all about meeting challenges through commitment and innovation,” said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. “The contributions of this year’s award winners are continuing the Clean Air Act’s progress in benefiting public health, our communities and the economy.”

From providing better access to electric vehicles and charging stations to creating a classroom toolkit promoting strategies to improve air quality to developing a real-time air monitoring notification system, award winners demonstrate a commitment to improving the air that we breathe. This year’s winners include:

Community Action
• Electric Vehicle Ecosystem Pilot Project, City and County of Greenville, S.C.
Education Outreach
• Conservation and Climate Change Challenge, Broward County, Fla.
Transportation Efficiency Innovations
• Leadership in Reducing Ocean-going vessel Emissions, Maersk Line/Maersk Agency USA, Charlotte, N.C.

The awards program, established in 2000 at the recommendation of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, annually recognizes entries that help reduce air pollution, provide a model for others to follow and offer innovative, sustainable outcomes.  Entries are judged by EPA and the Clean Air Act Advisory committee, and winners are recognized with a certificate at an awards ceremony in Washington D.C.

More on this year’s award winners: http://www.epa.gov/air/cleanairawards/index.html

It is Watt Your Wall Has Been Waiting for

GE Launches the Stylish, Smart and Simple Wattstation Wall Mounted Electric Vehicle Chargers in Europe

MUNICH, GERMANY —September 18, 2012 —GE (NYSE: GE) has launched the wall-mounted version of its WattStation electric vehicle (EV) charger in Europe. Unveiled at GE’s Global Research Centre, located in the Technical University in Munich, Germany, the GE WattStation Wall might look like a work of modern art. But the stylish device makes owning and using electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles an easier and more attractive proposition. There is even an app for it. The GE WattStation Wall is compatible with all the main types of European EV charging connections and is suitable for use in private and public locations. The compact unit can be easily installed indoors or outdoors, and its robust construction will resist rain, sleet and even ice. A flexible cord conveniently wraps around the unit to keep it organized and off the ground. To prevent unauthorised use, the WattStation Wall charger can be switched on and off from a separate switch. The energy management capability of the WattStation Wall allows for several chargers to be connected to an existing power supply, enabling the easy installation of multiple charging points in parking lots and fleet depots. It also can be connected to existing energy management systems and is compatible with smart grid technology allowing users to take advantage of cheaper tariffs and to avoid unnecessary vehicle charging over peak demand periods. The WattStation Wall is an appealing option when charging points are to be located in public areas or alongside distinctive architecture; the sleek design can be customized to match existing decors or to incorporate customers’ corporate or favourite colours. Getting Connected WattStation Network, a networked version of the charger, which will be available early in 2013, will work with the WattStation Connect online service. It will meet the needs of car park operators, fleet managers and municipalities that require greater control of energy usage or the smart functionality necessary to collect payments and monitor usage. User identification and online payment options will allow chargers to be made available to all EV drivers or restricted to authorised users only. Fleet managers also will be able to rebill users. A WattStation smart phone app enables users to manage vehicle charging remotely and to obtain energy use information. The smart technology has been designed to accept future upgrades. Charles Elazar, marketing director with GE Energy Management’s Industrial Solutions business in Europe, Middle East and Africa says: “Customers are now looking at electric vehicles from an economic rather than an environmental perspective. The new wave of hybrid vehicles is creating interest, and we also are seeing a niche develop with organisations purchasing complete ‘EV eco-systems,’ packages of vehicles and charging infrastructure to meet specific transport needs.” The GE WattStation Wall meets these customers’ needs with its combination of smart functionality and “plug-and-play” simplicity. Along with a range of chargers that includes the GE DuraStation, WattStation Wall and WattStation Connect, GE provides the full range of electrical systems and smart grid technology necessary to develop and manage a complete electric vehicle infrastructure. Through its Capital and Fleet Services businesses, GE also is able to provide the financing, vehicles and fleet management knowhow to support the widespread adoption of EV technology. GE is a keen supporter of EVs. In 2010, the company announced plans to purchase 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015 for use as company cars and to lease to corporate customers through its Fleet Services business. At the time GE's Chief Executive Officer Jeff Immelt said he hoped the purchase would "move electric vehicles from anticipation to action.” More information about the GE WattStation Wall is available at: www.gepowercontrols.com/ev. For trade sales enquires contact Joerg Platzer at GE Energy joerg.platzer@ge.com. Notes 1.     The GE WattStation Wall measures 60 cm tall by 40 cm wide and 15 cm deep. 2.     The Watt Station Wall is supports type 1 plugs; type 2 plugs, type 2 sockets and type 3 sockets, the most commonly used EV charging connections in Europe, USA and Japan. 3.     GE WattStation Wall complies with IEC 62196-1 and IEC 62196-2 standards. About GE GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com. Follow GE’s Industrial Solutions business on Twitter @GEindustrial.